Utah's Hogle Zoo Preparing To Welcome New Polar Bear

Utah's Hogle Zoo is saying goodbye to its five-year-old polar bear, Hope, and welcoming in a new animal.

Hope is heading to an accredited zoo in the Midwest at the end of January in part of a breeding program. The program will hopefully contribute healthy cubs to the critically endangered species, the zoo said in a news release.

The news release stated, "As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Hogle Zoo works closely with the Species Survival Plan (SSP) to ensure a genetically diverse population. The SSP functions like a massive computer dating system for zoo animals, pairing up strong genetic matches with other animals in its database."

Hogle Zoo will be getting a 15-year-old male, named Nikita, in Hope's place.

"Nik" weights between 1,200 and 1,300 pounds, which is twice the size of Hope. He stands at 10.5 feet tall and loves peanut butter and grape jelly.

Nicole Pepo, who worked with Nikita in North Carolina, told 2KUTV, "Nikita is a big and loveable goofball. He enjoys playing with toys (sometimes he breaks them), taking naps in the sun, and rolling in the dirt. He’s a very intelligent boy and loves to learn new things."

After Nik travels to the Utah zoo, he will be in quarantine for 30 days, which is a standard procedure that allows the veterinary team time to give the animal a thorough check-up.

Photo: Getty Images